


The King's Knight

by ZeroPlusOne



Series: Of Kings and Princes [1]
Category: Winner (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-11
Updated: 2016-05-11
Packaged: 2018-06-07 20:38:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6823132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZeroPlusOne/pseuds/ZeroPlusOne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Seunghoon is a warrior who is summoned back to the capital after the King's death, but his return means facing his past and the Prince he left behind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The King's Knight

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for Chocolatewinbox! My first try at 2seung. :)

Seunghoon’s eyes sweep over the flock of tents that litter the wide terrain, across warriors with expressions that range from blank to morose as they queue for tonight’s rations. The stars burn against the dark sky as the sounds of flickering fire and rustling leaves in the breeze fill the air, as though nature had not witnessed the hundreds of men they had lost only days before.  
  
Lee Seunghoon lives within the war, and his last breath, like many of his men’s, will inevitably take place in battle.  
  
“I belong here,” he speaks with conviction, not quite from belief, rather, desperation. He shuts the flap of the tent, and when he turns around, he is met by his father’s desolate eyes. It was dusk when he arrived from the capital with a couple of attendants, wasting no time for rest despite the two-day journey. Seunghoon doesn’t remember the last time his father had come to seek him, but neither can he say it comes as a surprise.  
  
He’d been expecting this visit, nearly as much as he’d been dreading it.  
  
What he was not prepared for, however, is to see the man he put on a pedestal for twenty-five years look worn and weak. There is grief etched in his tired features, the kind that is pained and perhaps permanent, a severe contrast to the lion emblem in his armor that symbolizes the bravest in the realm.  
  
Seunghoon swallows the lump in his throat, along with words of comfort at the tip of his tongue.  
  
The people may have just lost a King, but his father had lost his best friend.  
  
“You are a great warrior, son, but don’t be a fool. You belong with the King’s Knights.”  
  
“This is the path I have chosen.”  
  
“I gave the King my word,” the old knight counters, his voice just as commanding as Seunghoon remembers, but without the bite he feared as a child.  
  
“Your word is not mine. How can I leave when we’re in the middle of a war?” Seunghoon frowns as he marches towards the table where the battle plans are laid out, all carefully designed to purge the western territory of the remaining Malorian warriors before rival ships from the north dock on their kingdom’s shores.  
  
His men are looking to him for leadership, at the precipice of a small victory in a larger war.  
  
But try as he may to convince himself that success would not be achieved without him, Mino has proven more than capable to lead the warriors in his stead. Seunghoon’s presence here is not so much a necessity as would have been convenient at a time like this.  
  
It would be easier to reject his father’s demand if Seunghoon doesn’t have a choice but to stay where he is. And his father, his intentions may be honorable, but he will never understand the enormity of what he asks of Seunghoon.  
  
An image pervades Seunghoon’s thoughts without warning, of fox-like eyes and plump cheeks and pink lips that stretch over a wide smile. It’s unsettling – these thoughts that are better off forgotten.  
  
But for the first time in many months, Seunghoon allows himself to think of the boy.  
  
He is not aware of the iron grip he has on the table’s edges, nor does he realize his eyes have fallen shut as he wrestles with the stream of emotions that come with revisiting old memories.  
  
Seunghoon is beginning to lose hold of himself, until he feels a soothing hand on his shoulder. He heaves a sigh as his fingers slacken, his defenses slowly crumbling against his will.  
  
“It’s a trying time for the kingdom. You’re the only one he trusts,” his father says.  
  
Seunghoon raises his face just enough to level eyes with him. “You, my lord, are the greatest knight in all of–“  
  
“I am but an old man,” his father interrupts before he can finish. Seunghoon watches as his hand falls from his shoulder to the hilt of his sword. He unsheathes the blade and carefully lays it in front of Seunghoon. “I have pledged my whole life and loyalty to my King. But he is no more. My time is done. I wish to spend what is left of my years by your mother’s side.”  
  
When Seunghoon meets his gaze again, he realizes that this is not an order from the First Knight, rather a plea from father to son. “The Lees have protected the throne for centuries,” his father continues, resolute. “Your King needs you now.”  
  
Seunghoon eyes the amber stone carved into the sword’s hilt, a proud mark of their house. He had imagined wielding this weapon countless times as a young boy, back when he had dreamt of becoming the man his father is – be first in line among the King’s Knights, and have the greatest honor of protecting the crown.  
  
Things have changed since then, but Seunghoon remains a Lee.  And he has learned the hard way that in this world, duty comes before anything else.

  
  
*

  
Seunghoon rides East at the break of dawn, leaving final instructions to Mino who displays nothing but confidence in his ability to take over the troops. Seunghoon is grateful that his closest comrade is one of the best warriors he knows.  
  
“Remind him that he still owes me ten coins for the last duel. He cannot run from his obligations just because he’s King now,” Mino ribs before his expression turns more sincere, and he gives Seunghoon a parting hug in place of everything that doesn’t need to be said between two old friends.  
  
It takes Seunghoon only a day and a half to reach the King’s city, barely pausing for rest lest he changes his mind and turns back. He tugs at the reins of his steed as he approaches the city’s bulwark and slows to a walk through the market.  
  
The sun hadn’t set completely, casting the surroundings in sepia that gives off the aura of a relived memory. But it is far from the bustling metropolis Seunghoon remembers, the grief from the King’s passing still evident in the near bare streets and the despondent exchanges between few vendors and patrons. The number of guards has increased in the midst of the war, rendering the place unwelcoming and bleak.  
  
Seunghoon takes his time winding through the roads, his meandering due to budding anxiety and not any real interest in exploring the city he hadn’t visited in a year.  
  
But the grey walls of the castle loom in the horizon, the fort of stone more imposing with each stride that grows increasingly hesitant.  
  
Getting past the guards stationed at the drawbridge had been easy, what with the emblem he wears, and he dismounts his horse to several servants prepared to receive him by the entrance of the castle. Seunghoon accepts their greetings feebly, still uneasy over his unexpected return. But he breaks into a wide grin when he sees a familiar face approach.  
  
“My lord,” the man chimes, eyes impossibly bright. It immediately conjures fond memories of Seunghoon’s mischievous younger years, and for the first time since he arrived, he is filled with a warm rush that feels a lot like home.  
  
“Jinwoo.” Seunghoon doesn’t hesitate to pull him into a hug which Jinwoo returns with merry pats to his back.  
  
“This is not how a King’s Knight treats an esquire, my lord,” Jinwoo sputters next to his ear when Seunghoon nearly squeezes his much smaller frame, letting out a laugh when Seunghoon snorts in response. “You stubborn idiot,” Jinwoo adds softly, out of the other servants’ earshot.  
  
When they part, Seunghoon takes a closer look at his friend, notices the dark circles under his eyes and the exhausted lines in his features that make him look older. The King had been a father figure to Jinwoo from the day the orphan was saved by the King himself from having to live in the streets at the young age of nine. He can only imagine how difficult the King’s death must have been for him.  
  
  
Jinwoo seems have read into his thoughts, his bright smile fading, replaced by a sigh and a gentle squeeze to Seunghoon’s elbow. “You’ve been missed.”  
  
Seunghoon looks down and fiddles with his leather gloves, wary of the way Jinwoo’s eyes are assessing him. It’s one of the few things that haven’t changed since they were children – Jinwoo’s ability to see through all of them behind the veneer of innocence.  
  
“I shouldn’t even be here. I don’t deserve to step foot in this castle.”  
  
“We both know you should have come sooner,” Jinwoo replies, and all Seunghoon could do is give him a weak smile and hope that he doesn’t press further.  
  
“Where is he?”  
  
“In his chambers. He asked to inform him the moment you set foot in the city.”  
  
“Am I being summoned now? Is that why you’ve come to meet me yourself?”  
  
Jinwoo shakes his head. “Don’t be silly, I am not that daft. I told the servants and the castle guards that only _I_ shall bring him news of your arrival,” he offers, suppressing a grin when Seunghoon cocks a brow in query. “I figured you might need some time to collect yourself after the long trip, something his royal highness has neither the patience nor the understanding for.”  
  
“No one else has the nerve to disobey the King’s command and insult him in the same breath quite as well as you, Kim Jinwoo.”  
  
“You get away with many things when you’re born with this face,” Jinwoo sneers and they share an honest laugh as they stroll through the castle’s foyer.  
  
“Thank you,” Seunghoon tells him when Jinwoo offers to walk him to his quarters, signaling the maidservants who carry the few belongings Seunghoon had taken with him. He half-expects Jinwoo to lead him to the room he occupies when he’s in the city, but instead they head left of the castle’s atrium, and up the staircase. Seunghoon’s heartbeat spikes when he realizes they’re on their way to his father’s former chambers – right beside the King’s.  
  
Seunghoon schools his expression when Jinwoo steals a glance, keeping his eyes from straying further from the wooden door they stop in front of. The maidservants enter the room to unload his things, scurrying away when Jinwoo nods at them before turning to Seunghoon solemnly.  
  
“How much time do you need?”  
  
“Just enough for a long bath and some supper. I’m famished.”  
  
“I’ll send for food and ale,” Jinwoo supplies quickly. “Although I must tell you I can’t delay for more than an hour. He’s bound to find out.”  
  
After being assured that it’s more than enough time, Jinwoo excuses himself, leaving Seunghoon to collapse onto the bed with a thud. He’s not too exhausted to take in his room, most especially the impressive armor displayed at the heart of the space, the Lion insignia of the King’s Knights embossed in glistening steel.  
  
Many years have passed but everything is as Seunghoon remembers. These very walls were witness to the string of punishments Seunghoon had to endure when he was young and reckless. A smile creeps on his lips when he thinks about the endless tomfoolery he and the boys would get themselves into. They were quite the rowdy bunch, much to the dismay of many adults in the castle – a misfit group of mismatched boys: a knight in training, the son of a nobleman, a scholar, a servant, and a prince.  
  
It was a much simpler time then, and truthfully Seunghoon thinks he’d do anything to go back and remain there – when there were no wars to be won, expectations to be met, and duties to be fulfilled.

 

  
*

  
  
_Seunghoon knows never to trust Mino with his ‘ingenious’ plans, but when it’s four against one, it’s hard to get any word in. He simply wishes to come out of this suicide mission alive because twenty years seem too short a lifetime, but it has proven to be quite the task what with House Jung’s guards being twice the size of ordinary men._  
  
 _Perhaps the bigger question is why Taehyun had to fall in love with a maiden already betrothed to another man, and why he insists on confessing said love, but no one seemed to care about that when they were eagerly plotting how to trespass into Lady Krystal’s manor the day before her wedding._  
  
 _With the help of Jinwoo’s diversion – letting Lord Jung’s prized horses out of the stables ‘by accident’ – Taehyun had managed to slip into her room and spend a good twenty minutes inside doing god knows what, Seunghoon would rather not be privy to. At first it seems as if they’re going to succeed, but trust Mino to ruin his own plan by flirting with a servant girl, and next thing they know, they’re running away from a dozen guards and causing a ruckus at the local market just to shake off Lord Jung’s men._  
  
 _“You are such a bastard, Song!” Taehyun flings a piece of bread he stole from a baker’s stall which hits Mino in the head._  
  
 _“Do you think it’s fair that we risk our lives for you and you’re the only one who gets to fuck someone?” Mino yells back, a stupid grin plastered on his face._  
  
 _“Watch the filth that comes out of your mouth! I didn’t– we didn’t–“_  
  
 _“Argue later!” Jinwoo propels into Taehyun’s back when he tries to dodge a rolling barrel of ale and a livid looking vendor. “The guards are catching up!”_  
  
 _In the commotion of cursing vendors and flying produce, Seunghoon keeps track of the boy beside him who hasn’t stopped laughing under his hood from the moment Taehyun had to jump out of a second-storey window. Sometimes Seunghoon wonders if they do these crazy things for the prince’s benefit, because no one gets a kick out of being out-of-control idiots as much as Seungyoon does. And judging by how Seunghoon can’t help but titter at seeing Seungyoon having fun, it must be true._  
  
 _Somewhere along the way, they lose Taehyun and Jinwoo who must have found the perfect hiding place, being more familiar with the streets. It’s almost funny how they’ve somehow developed a routine after causing trouble. They always scatter and only congregate much later to assess the carnage in their wake._  
  
 _“Woods!” Seunghoon yells at Seungyoon who nods in understanding. He gestures at Mino to take the route to the river instead in an effort to split up Jung’s men._  
  
 _It’s dangerous to be in the woods on foot at night, but fortunately, the moon is exceptionally bright tonight and Seunghoon often rides with his father in this part of the Kingdom to know the safest path._  
  
 _“When do we stop running?” Seungyoon asks urgently, although Seunghoon can still hear a hint of amusement in his voice._  
  
 _“We don’t!” Seunghoon hides a smile when he hears Seungyoon playfully curse under his breath. Nonetheless, Seungyoon follows him through a beaten path, avoiding rocks and fallen branches as best they could. When Seunghoon spots the abandoned belfry, he bolts for it with Seungyoon on his heels._  
  
 _“I sure hope you can climb, your highness,” Seunghoon jeers as he latches onto a protruding block to hoist himself up the tower’s surface, sparing Seungyoon one glance below to see that the prince has begun staring at the structure as if a stairway is going to magically appear before him. “Or you can stay down there and talk to the guards about Taehyun’s true love and maybe they won’t skin you alive!” Seunghoon chuckles._  
  
 _He scales the tower with ease and after a near slip and a little push with his feet, he grabs onto the open window’s ledge and throws his body inside, letting out a relieved grunt when he hits the cobblestone floor. He dusts himself off and prepares to taunt Seungyoon from below, but when he peers down, the prince is nowhere to be seen._  
  
 _He feels a surge of panic, he’d been sure Seungyoon was going to follow him up – he’s never one to walk away from a challenge. But Seunghoon should never have been too careless; these woods are still unsafe and_ fuck _if anything happens to Seungyoon, he’ll never forgive himself. His blood runs cold at the thought, his heart thrashing against his chest. It’s nearly a thirty foot drop from the window to the ground but he doesn’t care._  
  
 _Seunghoon is about to throw a leg over the ledge when he feels someone grab his sides. He lets out a graceless shriek as he whips around, ready to unsheathe the dagger in his scabbard, only to come face to face with a very amused boy._  
  
 _“Fuck. You gave me a fright!” He pushes Seungyoon on reflex, but the prince is unfazed, merely clutching his stomach as his laughter echoes in the deserted tower._  
  
 _“Knights are supposed to be fearless.”_  
  
 _“I’m not a knight yet and how did you even-“ Seunghoon trails off, looking over Seungyoon’s shoulder. He sees the rectangular opening in the middle of the floor, the tips of a wooden ladder barely visible in the pale moonlight trickling from the window._  
  
 _“It would be good if knights are sharp, too,” Seungyoon teases, suppressing a smug grin. “You should have seen yourself jump on the wall when there was a passage way right there.”_  
  
 _Seunghoon stares at Seungyoon hard, jaws clenched, restraining himself from pinning the boy on the wall and telling him exactly how he doesn’t find it amusing. He really thought something had happened to him, and he was on the verge of jumping down without second thought. They may be friends, but the instinct to protect him overpowers everything else._  
  
 _“You have that look again,” Seungyoon says quietly, the delight on his face fading fast. “I… I was just joking.”_  
  
 _“It’s not funny,” Seunghoon snaps back, his voice coming out harsher than he intends. “Knights are supposed to be fearless? I was scared something bad had happened to you! Don’t ever play that joke again!”_  
  
 _Seungyoon flinches at the force of Seunghoon’s voice. His expression changes, reminding Seunghoon very much of a sad puppy and he feels his stomach clench in guilt almost immediately. It’s unfair how Seungyoon makes it difficult to stay angry at him._  
  
 _“I’m sorry,” Seungyoon says with a pout, walking closer until he’s standing in front of him. Seunghoon has two years on the boy but they stand nearly at the same height. Without a word, Seungyoon proceeds to dust Seunghoon’s tunic, still wearing that crestfallen expression Seunghoon isn’t sure he loves or loathes, but can’t tear his eyes away from regardless. As he looks at him up close, Seunghoon’s anger morphs into relief. He reminds himself that Seungyoon is safe and that’s all that matters._  
  
 _Seungyoon’s hands run along Seunghoon’s clothes, brushing off the grime and fragments of twigs stuck in the material, in an effort to make it up to him. Seunghoon almost rolls his eyes, but he shivers instead when Seungyoon’s thumb accidentally grazes Seunghoon’s neck._  
  
 _Seunghoon reaches up and catches Seungyoon’s wrists. The younger boy stops with a small gasp, meeting his eyes. Another chill runs down Seunghoon’s spine, but quite different from the one he felt when he thought Seungyoon was gone._  
  
 _“Princes aren’t supposed to clean up after other people,” Seunghoon whispers, feeling his throat suddenly go dry when his gaze unconsciously lowers to Seungyoon’s lips. Have they always been that thick, or is the moonlight playing tricks on his vision?_  
  
 _They both jump when they hear loud footsteps and gruff voices approaching. Instinctively, Seunghoon snakes an arm around Seungyoon’s waist and pulls him in until he feels the wall on his back and Seungyoon’s body against his. They stay perfectly still and Seunghoon focuses on the moving shadows in the distance through the window, hoping that the guards don’t think to check the tower._  
  
 _When the noise fades, Seunghoon exhales in relief for what seems to be the hundredth time today. Seungyoon stirs a little and all at once Seunghoon becomes devastatingly aware that the boy is still pressed against him, muscles tense and breaths labored. When he lowers his eyes, Seungyoon is looking up at him nervously._  
  
 _“Are they gone?” he whispers, puffing warm breath along Seunghoon’s jaw that seeps through his skin. It seems as though he’s incapable of speech with the prince’s face being so close because he can’t even mouth the word ‘yes’. Or perhaps he doesn’t want to tell him the truth, because he likes holding Seungyoon, which feels very much like he’s holding the entire kingdom in his arms._  
  
 _“They’re gone,” he answers after too long a pause, almost begrudgingly, and watches Seungyoon throw his head back with a loud sigh. Seunghoon suppresses the urge to run his fingers along Seungyoon’s neck which glistens with a thin sheen of sweat._  
  
 _Seunghoon’s mind is a riot, trying to make sense of the desires coursing through him while controlling his impulses. He doesn’t even realize he hadn’t let go of Seungyoon, not until he feels the rise and fall of Seungyoon’s chest from shallow breaths._  
  
 _“Oh,” he murmurs as he loosens the arm around Seungyoon’s waist. But Seungyoon doesn’t step back and only shifts a little – keeping their faces at an alarmingly close distance._  
  
 _To Seunghoon, out of everything they’ve experienced today, this feels the most dangerous._  
  
 _Flustered, Seunghoon smiles and sags against the wall, ignoring the curious look Seungyoon gives him. “We broke into a powerful lord’s house just so Taehyun can confess his love,” Seunghoon says after a weak chuckle. “Did you see the size of those men? That kid can’t even hold a sword properly and he thinks he can sweep engaged women off their feet.”_  
  
 _Seungyoon’s stare is unwavering, heating up the back of Seunghoon’s neck, but Seungyoon also cracks into a smile that crinkles his nose. “It was romantic.”_  
  
 _Seunghoon is certain that even as his heart races, it just skipped a beat. “It was foolish.”_  
  
 _“Love is foolish.”_  
  
 _Seunghoon wonders if he’s only imagining the way Seungyoon’s eyes seem to roam over his face before they stop on his lips. He clears his throat. “Well, love almost got us killed. Maybe it will, if our fathers find out what we’ve done.”_  
  
 _“You worry too much. They’re not going to find out.”_  
  
 _Seunghoon could convince himself otherwise, but he knows he’s no longer imagining the lilt in Seungyoon’s hushed voice or how the young prince inches closer until there is but a sliver of space separating them. Seungyoon’s eyelids flutter as his gaze flits from Seunghoon’s eyes and down to his mouth, moving tentatively, as if waiting for Seunghoon to understand the meaning behind his actions._  
  
 _Warmth pierces through him despite the chilly night and before Seunghoon can decide how utterly idiotic and reckless his next move is, he closes the distance between them and cradles Seungyoon’s face in his hands. He presses his lips over Seungyoon’s, trembling when Seungyoon sighs onto his mouth. The kiss is gentle and slow, Seunghoon caught in between wanting so much more and taking his time to revel in the taste of Seungyoon’s lips. But the fire consumes him and soon his hand slides up to cup the back of Seungyoon’s neck to push deeper and his breath stutters when Seungyoon’s lips part to welcome him._  
  
 _It feels like forever before they pull away, breathless and heady. Seunghoon notes the glaze in Seungyoon’s eyes and the exhilarated pounding in his chest. Seunghoon just crossed a line he isn’t even fully aware he’s drawn, and yet he feels no remorse. Looking at the prince’s swollen mouth and how it curves up by a fraction as if to say ‘what took you so long?’, all Seunghoon wants is to kiss the prince again._  
  
 _And that’s exactly what he does._

  
  
*

  
  
It takes less than twenty steps from Seunghoon’s door to his, but it might as well be miles with the time Seunghoon takes. The flicker from lit fires that hang on the walls illuminate and warm the corridor, but it does nothing to mollify the coldness in his palms. Two guards are stationed right outside the chambers, and with a dip of Seunghoon’s chin, they bow and leave their post.  
  
Seunghoon takes in a breath before he knocks on the door, and a deep, muffled voice from the other side tells him to come in. He pushes the door open just enough to slip in, keeping his head down until it’s fully shut behind him.  
  
When he lifts his gaze, Seungyoon’s eyes slice into his unabashedly and it takes a lot for Seunghoon not to shy away. He’s wearing but a thin white robe, looking like he just got out of an evening bath himself, the tips of his unkempt hair still damp. His face unnervingly gaunt as Seunghoon brushes through the familiar features that have aged strikingly in the past year. Seungyoon looks tired and restless, but beautiful all the same.  
  
“Your majesty,” he says with a bow without moving from the spot by the doorway, hoping his voice doesn’t give away the burst of longing that overcomes him at the nearness of his King.  
  
“Sir Lee.”  
  
Seunghoon winces at the formality, and when he shifts to his full height, he sees the challenge in Seungyoon’s expression as though to say he had started it. If things were no different from when they were young, perhaps they would slip into a comfortable banter that’s fond and familiar, and they can act like no time had passed and they are the same people they were.  
  
But that is not the case. Seunghoon is a different man. And the boy in front of him is King.  
  
The silence between them is tense and drawn out, neither of them saying anything until Seungyoon offers him an unexpected smile that might as well have been a dagger straight to his heart. “You look well.”  
  
“I could say the same about you.”  
  
“My father just passed away, and overnight, I inherited a kingdom and all the problems that come with it. I look like shit.”  
  
Seunghoon sighs as he runs a hand over his face, overcome by guilt and worry. He does not know where to begin, he hadn’t figured out what to say to Seungyoon that would express everything on his mind and in his heart, or if that were even possible. “I’m sorry about–“  
  
“Don’t,” Seungyoon raises a hand, expression hardening. “Not from you.”  
  
Seunghoon’s gaze dips to Seungyoon’s fist, red and quaking from being clenched too tightly. For a moment it looks like he’s about to say something. Seunghoon is prepared for the hurtful words that Seungyoon will fling at him – he deserves to be battered into a pulp. But to his surprise, Seungyoon turns around and ambles towards a brass table where he picks up a silver pitcher.  
  
“I’d offer you a drink but I reckon you’ll turn it down,” Seungyoon says.  
  
“I wouldn’t dare.”  
  
Seungyoon stops mid-pour at Seunghoon’s response, a hint of curiosity mixed with rage in his stare. There’s a scowl playing at his lips when he resumes tipping the wine into two cups. He lifts one to his lips as he walks, stopping a mere two feet from Seunghoon and offering him the other cup. “Why, because I am King and I can have your head?”  
  
“No,” Seunghoon takes the cup, the tips of their fingers brushing for a second before they both recoil. There’s a flicker in Seungyoon’s eyes that ebbs quickly and Seunghoon manages to keep his hand steady on the chalice despite the fizzle in his bones at the momentary contact. “Because you keep grudges.”  
  
  
Seungyoon scoffs. “I haven’t seen your shadow in a year and you’re concerned I’d begrudge you for refusing a drink.”  
  
“I have done too many things that have hurt and angered you, your majesty. I wish to no longer add to that list.”  
  
If Seungyoon has one fatal flaw, it’s that he can never mask how he feels. It’s a weakness kings should never possess, for their emotions could be taken against them by enemies who wish to see their demise. But every furrow of Seungyoon’s brows and quirk of his lips mean something, and Seunghoon had grown up with Seungyoon to be able to distinguish each one.  
  
Seungyoon’s mouth is thinned, eyes blinking at Seunghoon cautiously. He is clearly anxious, calculating, deciding whether to believe Seunghoon’s words or not. But his lips tremble, which could only mean he’s on the brink of crying.  
  
Seunghoon opts for silence as he waits for Seungyoon to say something else. He’d been dreading this day for exactly this reason – he can win wars through military tactics, and he’s famed as one of the best strategists in the kingdom, but when it comes to Seungyoon, he never knows how to proceed.  
  
“You are cruel,” Seungyoon mumbles beneath his breath as he lets go of his cup, the first tear trickling down his cheek. And once again, Seunghoon’s weak defenses fall to pieces at his feet. The man in front of him may be King, but he’s still that scrawny boy he grew up with, the young man he fell madly in love with, and the prince who has never truly left his thoughts.  
  
Seunghoon takes one step in his direction, but stops when Seungyoon tenses where he stands. He never thought Seungyoon would hate him this much to react this way to his presence.  
  
“Do you want me here?” Seunghoon asks, fearful of the answer. “Do you truly want me to be your First Knight?”  
  
“Do you?”  
  
“You are the King. My opinion does not matter.”  
  
“I was the Crown Prince when I asked you to stay. And yet you still left without looking back,” Seungyoon says, shaking. Seunghoon can feel his rage even from feet away. “Even If I tell you to never leave my side, you will find a way if you don’t want to. My title has nothing to do with it.”  
  
“ _Seungyoon_.”  
  
“I am your King!” Seungyoon yells, more tears streaming down his face. “You will address me with respect!”  
  
This time, Seunghoon doesn’t hesitate when he surges forward and cups Seungyoon’s face. He feels warm against Seunghoon’s palms even with tear-stained cheeks. “I’m sorry,” Seunghoon whispers as he presses his forehead against Seungyoon’s, the tips of their noses brushing against each other. “I never meant to– I’m sorry.”  
  
The moment the apology leaves his lips, Seungyoon begins to tremble, no longer suppressing the sobs in his throat. Seunghoon holds him, his thumb drawing circles on his cheeks as he wipes away the tears. “I’m sorry,” he repeats over and over, at a loss for anything else to say.  
  
Seungyoon slumps when he quiets down and Seunghoon is there to catch him, pulling him into an embrace, burying his face in Seungyoon’s neck. He smells of wood and lavender and sunlight. Seunghoon could drown in Seungyoon, just like he used to. _Just like he wants to._

For what feels like hours, they remain still, wrapped around each other as their breaths become in sync. Seunghoon revels in the moment without thought for much else, as if time had stopped and the world was but their own.  
  
Seungyoon pulls away first and gives Seunghoon a look that he knows all too well. Gently, without a word, Seungyoon tugs at the strings of Seunghoon’s tunic, loosening them so he can slide one sleeve down his arm. And the King leans in to press a skin-searing kiss on Seunghoon’s shoulder.  
  
Seunghoon shudders, but he doesn’t tell Seungyoon to stop when he traces his collar bone with kisses, and blows air on the hollow of his neck before pressing his lips on it, too. Seunghoon moans when Seungyoon’s fingers slide beneath the linen fabric of Seunghoon’s tunic, brushing gently over the skin above his trousers.  
  
He arches against Seungyoon, hands shooting to Seungyoon’s arms to steady himself. When he feels Seungyoon’s lips travel to his chin, he tilts his head so he’s kissing Seungyoon’s mouth instead. It’s just as soft as he remembers, but he tastes of wine and tears. Seunghoon licks into Seungyoon’s mouth without holding back, letting him know how badly he’d been craving this for a year, how much he hated leaving and no longer getting the chance to kiss him this way.  
  
Reluctantly, Seunghoon pulls back, hovering over Seungyoon’s mouth with ragged breaths. “I need you to know that I couldn’t bear it,” he whispers, meeting Seungyoon’s eyes, hoping he communicates his truth and why he couldn’t stay. “I know my place.”  
  
Seungyoon’s gaze softens with a sigh. “I want you,” Seungyoon declares, tracing a thumb over Seunghoon’s bottom lip. “It’s _always_ been you.”  
  
Seunghoon pulls Seungyoon in for a kiss that’s more intense than any battle he’d encountered in the war. He lets Seungyoon push them towards the bed, Seunghoon landing on the mattress with a soft thud. They waste no minute as they discard the rest of their garments, until Seunghoon could only feel the sheets on his back and Seungyoon against his skin.  
  
And it’s as if not a year had passed, no one had left, and no one had been left behind. As though this is just another stolen night among the countless ones they shared.  
  
Seungyoon dips his head to kiss along Seunghoon’s throat, and Seunghoon watches brazenly as the younger man drifts lower, nibbling along the lines of Seunghoon’s abdomen until he’s flicking his tongue just above his already hard shaft. Seunghoon grunts and cants his hips in need, fisting the sheets when he feels Seungyoon’s mouth at the tip of his cock. They lock eyes even as Seungyoon sinks to take him in, full lips stretched around his girth, eyes glassy and full of hunger.  
  
He reaches forward to thread a hand through Seungyoon’s messy hair, holding on for dear life when Seungyoon begins bobbing up and down, licking stripes under his length, swallowing him whole until Seunghoon’s silent moans turn into noisy whimpers that fill the King’s chambers.  
  
“Seungyoon, I’m going to–“  
  
Seungyoon peels himself off of Seunghoon and he nearly cries at the loss of contact, fire still pooled at the core of his belly seeking release. But Seungyoon’s hand slides along his stomach in ease as he pushes himself up face to face with Seunghoon. “Not yet,” Seungyoon whispers after pressing a short kiss on Seunghoon’s lips. “Inside me. That’s an order.”  
  
Even in the pain of being left hanging, Seunghoon couldn’t help but smirk. “You’re killing me, kid,” he reaches for Seungyoon’s fringe and brushes them aside before cupping Seungyoon’s cheek. The flame of the oil lamp flickers in his irises and Seunghoon has to suck in a breath at the sight. There aren’t many people in the kingdom more striking than Seungyoon, but he’s still most beautiful bare and uninhibited in front of him.  
  
Seungyoon closes his eyes and leans into his palm. “It’s not fair,” Seungyoon speaks, voice uneven. “To be born with this fate, to be allowed to love, but never given the chance to choose.” When he opens his eyes, they’re glassy once more from unshed tears. “I’m sorry.”  
  
Seunghoon gently lugs him closer, foreheads pressed as he kisses the tip of Seungyoon’s nose. “I regret nothing. In this lifetime or the next, I will still choose you.”  
  
“One night,” Seungyoon sighs, the words heavy with pained resignation. “It would kill me to lose you, but I would never ask for more than you can give. Just this one night.”  
  
Seunghoon thinks he sees a tear fall before Seungyoon swoops in to catch his lips once more and Seunghoon winds his arms around Seungyoon’s shoulders, pressing him down and until he can feel Seungyoon’s cock against his hip, until he can feel the King’s heartbeats with his own.  
  
Tomorrow Seunghoon will have to let go, but tonight, he will hold the Kingdom for the last time, as tightly as he could.  
  
Seunghoon releases him for a short moment to reach for the vial of oil that Seungyoon whispers is behind a pillow, telling Seunghoon of how he touches himself while thinking of him and only him. Seunghoon groans and pushes Seungyoon back so he’s underneath him instead and the younger boy spreads his legs for Seunghoon without hesitation.  
  
He takes a minute to drink in Seungyoon’s features before he coats his fingers with oil and dips to kiss Seungyoon again – needy and intense – while his fingers circle over Seungyoon’s entrance teasingly. He feels Seungyoon suck in a frayed breath from Seunghoon’s mouth when he pushes a finger in. He presses open mouthed kisses along Seungyoon’s jaw to distract from the pain when he adds another finger, then a third, pumping slowly and coiling inside him until the pained expression on his face is gone and is replaced by pleasured tremors.  
  
The lewd sounds Seungyoon makes only fuels the burn in Seunghoon’s stomach that’s almost dizzying, he thinks he can finish like this, just watching Seungyoon’s blessed out expression from just his hand. But Seungyoon gives him a pleading look that he can’t ignore.  
  
Seunghoon thinks he couldn’t take much more, a slave to his own need to be inside of Seungyoon, and he pulls out his hand to draw his muscled thighs towards him, making Seungyoon whimper in anticipation. Seunghoon is already slick as he lines his cock over Seungyoon’s hole, watching the King intently as he sinks in inch by inch. Seungyoon’s mouth falls open in a quiet moan as soon as Seunghoon is buried deep inside, and Seunghoon lets out a satisfied groan of his own. He waits for Seungyoon to adjust to the intrusion before he pulls back and plunges again.  
  
Seungyoon thrashes underneath him with every pump, and Seunghoon’s mind is a haze as he follows his body’s need for Seungyoon’s warmth. It feels so good to be inside him, to fuck him senseless, to love him recklessly like this just like when they were young men. Seungyoon pushes Seunghoon’s chest and rolls over so he’s kneeling on the bed, reaching behind him boldly to grip Seunghoon’s cock, guiding it towards his hole and pushing back.  
  
“Fuck. Harder,” Seungyoon commands and Seunghoon holds onto Seungyoon’s waist to push inside him with more force, rewarded by Seungyoon’s breathless cries when his pace quickens. Seunghoon changes the angle and elicits a loud grunt from Seungyoon, and he repeatedly rams into him while Seungyoon meets every thrust with a flick of his hips.  
  
The King’s chambers are a mess of tousled limbs and pleasured noises as they drive themselves into their peak. They make love like it’s their last – savoring every second, kissing every patch of skin, and mouthing words to each other like necessary goodbyes.  
  
“I love you,” Seunghoon whispers wistfully in Seungyoon’s ear as Seungyoon comes undone all over his stomach with shaky exhales. And not long after, Seunghoon’s muscles tense and he releases inside Seungyoon, collapsing on top of the King. They’re slick with sweat but they stay perfectly still, suspended in time as they catch their breaths.  
  
“And I love you,” Seunghoon hears Seungyoon say after a long silence, feeling Seungyoon’s lips on his skin.  
  
If anyone were to hear them, they’d assume this is the beginning of a happy ending, but they both know the truth – that this marks the end of the happiest period of their lives. Perhaps the reason why Seunghoon is ready to face wars every waking day is because he no longer cares about dying. He’d already died a more significant death the second he realized that though they may love each other, there is nothing more to this than _moments_ – moments they could no longer afford to steal.  
  
“Stay here until daybreak,” Seungyoon suggests, and only then does Seunghoon become aware of how Seungyoon is absently stroking the battle scars that mar his skin. “Then you are free.”  
  
Seunghoon meets Seungyoon’s eyes and returns the gesture with a kiss to his forehead, resting his hand on the back of Seungyoon’s neck. “I would have loved to be your First Knight. To protect you like I used to.”  
  
“You still can.”  
  
“I fight the kingdom’s wars with one sole thought,” Seunghoon begins to say, keeping his eyes steady on Seungyoon. “That I’m preventing anyone who wishes to harm you to get close enough to try. I protect you everyday.”  
  
“From out there,” Seungyoon adds quietly. Seunghoon no longer sees the accusation in his expression, rather, acquiescence.  
  
Seunghoon nods. “Out there.”

  
  
*  
  


_Seunghoon stays motionless, eyes fixed on the girl who walks through the castle doors with an elegant sway of her hips. With mesmerizing eyes and a smile that can steal any man’s heart, she is just as beautiful as the rumors say, if not more. Seunghoon’s stomach grits when Seungyoon approaches to meet her, offering her his arm that she takes immediately._  
  
 _Seungyoon smiles, and Seunghoon feels a tightness in his chest that is reflected in his balled fists. He has never felt this kind of pain that didn’t involve wounds or blood; but it might as well have been his whole world collapsing in on him._ Helpless. _He feels helpless most of all._  
  
 _“Princess Wendy,” a voice behind him says. Seunghoon steps back from the tapestry that hides him from the Prince and Princess’ view and whirls around to see Jinwoo already looking at him intently. Seunghoon tries to find the explanation that would suffice, but he draws a blank. Besides, it looks as if Jinwoo does not need any._  
  
 _“An alliance with the Luxian Kingdom will strengthen our forces against the Malorians,” Jinwoo tells him._  
  
 _“I am aware.”_  
  
 _Jinwoo’s expression is almost pained when he sighs. “He’s the Crown Prince.”_  
  
 _Seunghoon ignores the pity in Jinwoo’s eyes and grins. He doesn’t know why he bothers putting up a front with Jinwoo, but perhaps this is more for his own sake than anyone else’s. If he acts nonchalant, then maybe his heart wouldn’t keep hurting. “I knew it was only a matter of time before our friend is engaged. I always thought Taehyun would be first.”_  
  
 _Jinwoo doesn’t return his smile, brows furrowing instead. “Mino told me you’re joining him and the troops in the West,” he purses his lips, as if to study Seunghoon’s face. “I have two questions. First, have you given up on being a King’s Knight?”_  
  
 _“I will serve the kingdom valiantly whether I’m a King’s Knight or a soldier in the war.”_  
  
 _“Second,” Jinwoo follows without missing a beat. “Have you told him you’re leaving?”_  
  
 _Seunghoon doesn’t answer right away, but when he does, he shrugs. He hasn’t figured out how to break the news to him yet, nor has he decided whether it’s a conversation that should take place. He gives Jinwoo his most sincere look, knowing that the older boy would not settle for anything less._  
  
 _“I’ll tell him.”_  
  
 _“When?”_  
  
 _When Seunghoon doesn’t reply, Jinwoo sighs as if he already knows the answer. “Seunghoon. You can’t do this to him.”_  
  
 _“I promise you, he will know.”_

  
  
*  
  


“Promise me something,” Seungyoon says, nudging Seunghoon’s rib with an elbow as he sits perched between his thighs. Seunghoon hums against Seungyoon’s neck, eyes trained on the first rays of sunlight that peek above the horizon outside Seungyoon’s window. The first time in a year of war that he experiences the serenity that only the magnificent view of the Garre mountains against the glowing sky and Seungyoon wrapped within his arms can provide.  
  
“Promise me you will leave the way you did the last time.”  
  
Seunghoon tenses, drawing back slightly, but Seungyoon tightens his hold on Seunghoon’s knees as if to say it’s alright. Seunghoon drapes his torso against Seungyoon’s back again, resting his chin on the space where his neck and shoulder meet. “Will you tell me why?”  
  
Seungyoon twists his body so he faces Seunghoon instead, legs resting over Seunghoon's thighs. His eyes roam all over Seunghoon’s features before he holds his gaze. “Let this be a dream,” he says, fingers dancing over the skin of Seunghoon’s arms. “So I would know not to wait.”  
  
A pang shoots through Seunghoon at those words and at the determined look on Seungyoon's face that masks his own pain beneath. He wants to tell Seungyoon that there is no need to hold himself back, to create a facade after a night of truths. But perhaps this is what Seungyoon needed to do. Not for Seunghoon, but for himself.

“Then promise me something in return,” Seunghoon replies and waits for Seungyoon to nod before adding, “Live a long life. Be the ruler your father was, or be greater. And sometimes,” he pauses, hesitant. “Sometimes, think of me.”  
  
Seungyoon smiles the kind of smile that feels like the ground is being swept from under Seunghoon’s feet – the smile that has gotten Seunghoon through rough days in battle. Except this time, it hurts more than it heals.

“Every day.”  
  


*  
  


Seunghoon keeps his promise. He had watched Seungyoon close his eyes and give in to sleep, lulled by stories of battles Seunghoon and Mino had won for his glory. Seunghoon did not depart straightaway, and allowed himself a few selfish minutes to live in that moment until he had committed every perfect detail to memory. And then quietly, he slips out of the covers, and out the door.

It only takes a few minutes to gather his things from the adjacent chambers before he’s tottering towards Jinwoo’s door and bidding him a quick goodbye.  
  
“Are you not staying for the– uhh,” Jinwoo trails off as he rubs the sleep from his eyes, and he looks regretful for bringing it up.  
  
Seunghoon gives him a smile. “I’m not staying to see the man I love marry someone else.”  
  
Jinwoo looks to be on the verge of tears but Seunghoon isn’t going to stay there to watch him cry. He could only take so many painful goodbyes in one morning.

“Take care of him for me,” he says, pulling Jinwoo into a hug. Seunghoon may be miles away from the King, but it comforts hims to know that Seungyoon will always have Jinwoo by his side.  
  
“Take care of yourself, my lord.”  
  
Seunghoon is about to turn the corridor when Jinwoo calls out. “And don’t die or I’ll follow you to hell and give you a beating there!” Seunghoon’s laugh echoes in the walls, and dies out in the sounds of the morning at the castle.  
  
He rides for the West where a battle for the kingdom awaits. This is Seunghoon’s life and his duty; this is where he belongs now.  
  
He may not be a King’s Knight, but he will die trying to protect the one he loves – _will always love -_ the most.

  
*  
  


_“What do you fear the most?”_   
  
_Seunghoon laughs, throwing a pebble into the lake that doesn’t bounce the way Seungyoon's does, and instead creates ripples in the still water. “You already know this.”_   
  
_“I want to hear it again,” Seungyoon grins, his eyes shining in the mid-afternoon sun. His hair whips in the breeze as he stands there expectantly and Seunghoon knows he can’t deny his request. Not because he’s the prince, but because Seunghoon is generally weak in all things Seungyoon._   
  
_“You.”_   
  
_“Oh really,” Seungyoon quirks a brow, pretending like he’s hearing it for the first time. Seunghoon rolls his eyes. “Are you afraid of my fist, is that it? Are you awful at fighting that you can’t beat me, Lee Seunghoon? How exactly am I your greatest fear?”_   
  
_“You’re an asshole,” Seunghoon pushes Seungyoon with a chuckle, but Seungyoon catches his hand and lugs him close. Seunghoon should have just answered to make this easier on him but now Seungyoon is smiling brightly barely an inch away, brushing his nose on Seunghoon’s in a teasing manner._   
  
_“Come on, tell me,” Seungyoon playfully, leaning in and pulling back whenever Seunghoon gets the urge swoop in for a kiss. Damn him._   
  
_“I fear everything about you,” Seunghoon begins to say, trying hard not to be distracted by the way Seungyoon catches his bottom lip in between his teeth, looking ecstatic that Seunghoon caved. “I fear the possibility of waking up one morning and finding out something terrible happened to you. I fear the way I feel around you, like I’m almost always breathless; but I fear the way I feel without you even more, like I couldn’t breathe at all.”_   
  
_“You should have been a poet instead of a knight,” Seungyoon teases, but Seunghoon shushes him._   
  
_“Do you want me to finish this or not?”_   
  
_“Don’t you dare stop.”_   
  
_“I fear your title and the burden that comes with it. I fear that I’ll never be good enough for a prince.”_   
  
_This time, the laughter in Seungyoon’s face fades, and the younger boy takes Seunghoon’s hand to squeeze it. He doesn’t speak, though, allowing him to finish._   
  
_“I fear that I’ll never know how much you love me, if you love me enough, or not at all,” Seunghoon sighs. “And if you do, I fear the day you stop loving me, because I fear that my world might just end when that happens.”_   
  
_“It’s not going to happen,” Seungyoon interrupts him, voice resolute. “You may not know how much I love you but I do. So if that’s what you fear, just be a fearless knight and believe in me.”_   
  
_Seunghoon scoffs, suppressing a smile. “Is this the part where you tell me that when you become King, and I, your First Knight, we’re going to rule with love and compassion?”_   
  
_“I was getting to that. You ruined it, Lee,” Seungyoon pouts. Before Seunghoon could kiss that pout away, they hear familiar voices in the distance and turn to their direction._   
  
_“IS THERE KISSING? NO ONE WANTS TO SEE KISSING!” Mino emerges from behind a tree with his hands covering his eyes. Taehyun extends a leg in Mino’s path and he trips, landing on his face. They all burst into laughter, and Seunghoon shakes his head._   
  
_“Ready to be knighted?” Jinwoo stops beside him, handing him his gauntlet for the ceremony. He accepts it as all four of them smile at him fondly. Seunghoon hums, exchanging a glance with Seungyoon who gives him a wink._   
  
_All at once, excitement fills him, thinking about the possibilities that the future holds – standing alongside Seungyoon as he becomes the kingdom’s most loved King. And Seunghoon will be there at the forefront, loyal and proud._   
  
_Seunghoon smiles. He has never been more certain of anything. “I’m ready.”_   
  
  



End file.
